Korean Saengseon-jeon, Egg-Battered Fish Fillets

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Jagalchi Fish Market

📍 Where this dish comes from: Busan · Jagalchi Fish Market
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Korean Saengseon-jeon, plated and ready to serve

Saengseon-jeon are delicate pieces of white fish dipped in egg and pan-fried until golden. They are a must on Korean holiday tables, stacked beside other jeon for the whole family to share. A light dusting of almond flour helps the egg cling, keeping the dish keto.

Per serving: 265 calories · 1.6 g net carbs · 27 g protein · 16 g fat (calculated from the ingredients)

What You’ll Need

Ingredients for Korean Saengseon-jeon

Korean Saengseon-jeon, plated and ready to serve

Korean Saengseon-jeon, Egg-Battered Fish Fillets

Saengseon-jeon are delicate pieces of white fish dipped in egg and pan-fried until golden. They are a must on Korean holiday tables, stacked beside other jeon for the whole family to share. A light dusting of almond flour helps the egg cling, keeping the dish keto.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Korean
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 265kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 pound cod, pollock or flounder fillets cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1/3 cup blanched almond flour
  • 3 large eggs beaten
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil
  • A few thin slices of red chili and parsley leaves for garnish
  • Dipping sauce: 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

Instructions

  • Pat the fish very dry and slice it about 1/3 inch thick. Season with salt and white pepper and let it sit for 10 minutes.
  • Pat dry again, then dust each piece lightly in almond flour, shaking off the excess.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat.
  • Dip each piece of fish into the beaten egg and lay it in the pan. Press a slice of chili or a parsley leaf onto the top of each.
  • Cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until the egg is golden and the fish is cooked through. Add more oil as needed. Serve warm with the dipping sauce.

Notes

Medium-low heat keeps the egg coating bright yellow rather than brown, which is the traditional look. Wipe the pan with a paper towel between batches to keep it clean.
Chef's Tip: Slightly frozen fish is much easier to slice thinly. Pop the fillets in the freezer for 20 minutes before cutting.
Keto Swap: Wheat flour is replaced with a light dusting of almond flour, which holds the egg in place without adding many carbs.
Success Tip: These are great for picky eaters; the mild fish and egg coating taste a lot like a homemade fish stick.
Nutrition is calculated from the ingredients and is an estimate per serving. Net carbs exclude fiber and allulose.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 265kcal | Protein: 27g | Fat: 16g | Fiber: 1.1g
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Cooking Korean Saengseon-jeon in the kitchen

About This Dish

Saengseon means fish, and saengseon-jeon is one of the traditional dishes prepared for Seollal (Lunar New Year) and Chuseok (Korea’s autumn harvest festival). Families spend hours frying several kinds of jeon together, and the smell of sizzling egg is part of the holiday memory. In many homes, jeon are also placed on the table for charye, the ritual honoring ancestors. Dried pollock and fresh cod are the most common fish used. Leftover jeon are often turned into a spicy stew after the holiday.

Pairs Well With

This recipe is from The Ultimate Korean Keto Cookbook by Gisele Costello, Chapter 4: Seafood (Jagalchi Fish Market). See all Korean recipes

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